A. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to spouts for providing a stream of water in the shape of a sheet or curtain. The invention is especially useful as a bathtub spout.
B. Description Of The Prior Art
Spouts for providing a sheet flow of water, such as into a bathtub, are known. Streams so shaped are aesthetically pleasing and also do not make as much noise as typical cylindrical or turbulent flow streams. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,328 describes such a spout with a wide, thin, flat, horizontal flow chamber.
Maintaining the shape of the stream in a sheet becomes more difficult the further the stream flows from the spout on its way into a tub or whirlpool. The sheet shape tends to become turbulent and irregular the further the stream flows from the spout. This can detract from the appearance of the sheet and can cause a more noisy flow. Therefore, it can be seen that a need exists for a spout which provides a sheet-like flow stream which maintains its shape even relatively far from the spout.